It turns out that Thursday’s bout with Algerian boxer Imane Kherif wasn’t the first time that a female boxer feared for her safety.
On Thursday, Italian opponent Angela Carini was hit on the nose and forced to withdraw after just 46 seconds in her match against Kheriff, breaking down in tears and saying she had never been hit so hard before.
In December 2022, Kherif beat Brianda Tamara so hard she couldn’t believe she escaped without serious injuries. A few months earlier, Kherif had been disqualified from the IBA Women’s World Boxing Championship final due to high levels of testosterone in her system.
“When I fought her I felt inadequate, her blows hurt me a lot,” Tamara wrote to X after Kheriff was disqualified in March 2023. “I don’t think I ever felt like that in my 13 years as a boxer or in sparring with men. I thank God I got out of the ring safe that day and it’s good that they finally noticed.”
Tamara posted photos of her bruised face on social media after the brutal beating she endured during a match in Guadalajara, Mexico.
Tamara reposted the photo this week following the controversy surrounding Khelif’s Olympic win over Karini.
World Boxing Champion and Mixed Martial Artist Claressa Shields I voiced my opinion about X on Thursday.He commented on the IOC’s decision to allow Khelif to compete.
“I stand up! Women should fight women, men should fight men and trans fight trans,” she wrote. “This is ridiculous and breaks my heart for all the female Olympic boxers!”
2024 Paris Olympics
Hungarian Olympic boxer Anna-Luka Hamori, Heriv’s next opponent, told reporters she won’t be afraid or intimidated by Heriv.
The match is scheduled for Saturday, August 3rd and is sure to attract a lot of attention.
